Valve operating mechanism



March 22, 1932. R. L. GRAY 1,850,544

VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed March 29, 1929 I I v I I l W 4/ 42 35 46 A H; 4 45% 5; ii; n 5 1 3/ J h l 30 I h -32 ii I I I INVENTOR.

l9. L. 6ra

A TTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 22, 1932 PATENT OFFICE ROBERT LEE GRAY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Application filed March 29, 1929. Serial No. 351,064.

The present invention relates to a valve operating mechanism particularly adapted for internal combustion engines. It 1s an object of this invention to construct the valve or valves of each cylinder so that they shall be mechanically or positively opened and me chanically or positively closed and at the same time rotated, thereby accomplishlng a positive opening and closing, as well as a positive seating of the valve. The rotation of the valve, even though slight, eliminates the necessity of grinding the valve and valve seat since they are kept true with each other at all times and prevent the formatlon of carbon on theseating surfaces.

It is a further object of this invention to place the mechanical operating mechanismpf the valves at the side thereof, that is, ad acent to the sides thereto so that the expansion and wear of the valve-will not interfere with the opening and closing thereof. A still further object of the invention resides in the specific cam construction located adjacent to the side of the valve or the valve stem to suitably operate the valve.

Still further objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine showing the valve mechanism,

Fig. 2 is a top view of the cylinder of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a cross section of a portion of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine showing a modified valve operating mechanism,

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section of a further modified valve operating mechanism,

Fig. 5 is a side view of the separate cams for actuating the valve of Fig. 4, I

Fig. 6 is a top view of one of the stationary cams of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is a top view of the movable cam of the valve of Fig. 5.

The valve operating mechanism, as well as the valves, is shown as applied to cylinder 1 of an internal combustion engine. The usual piston 2 is provided in the cylinder, as well as a spark plug 4 which is placed in any desired location. At the top of the cylinder, the head 34 is suitably secured in and on the cylinder by means of suitable bolts 35. Each cylinder is provided in its wall with an intake port 5 and an exhaust port 6 preferably arranged in opposite relation, which ports cooperate with suitable passages 36 in the head 34. The lower end of each passage 36 terminates in a valve seat 37 and the passage is dividecl in the central portion of the head by means of a partition 38. The valves 3, preferably two in number, are provided in the head and at the upper end of the stem 39 a cam member 14 is secured which has a screwthreaded portion 16 at the lower end and cam projections 17 at the upper end. The screwthreaded portion 16 cooperates with suitable screwthreads 15 in the head 34 and the central portion of the cam member 14 has a cylindrical bore 51 therein. A spring 13 is provided in the bore 51 and around the valve stem, bearing at one end on the head 34 and the other end against the cam member. An enlarged portion 12 in the upper end of the valve stem secures the valve stem in the cam member and also provides for the rotation of the valve when the cam member is rotated.

The valves are actuated by means of a plurality of cams 18 and 19 mounted to rotate on a shaft 10 which is suitably mounted in bearings 40 on the top of the cylinder head. The shaft 10 receives its rotation from the shaft 7 through bevel gears 8 and 9 and the shaft 7 is suitably rotated from the crank shaft of the engine. As clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the valve is actuated by rotating the cam portion 14, which is accomplished by the rotation of the shaft 10 causing the cams l8 and 19 to contact with one projection 17 and then the other to oscillate the cam portion 14. As the cam portion 14 is rotated, it is forced axially upwardly or downwardly, as the case may be, due to the screwthreaded portions, which thereby open and close the valve. The spring 13 is for the purpose of providing for a tight closure to take up a slight clearance between the projections 17 and the cams 18 and 19, the

' by the sliding stems 26, said sliding stems in' suitably" operated from, the cam by means of stems 23 which take the place of the cams 18 and: 19, The stems 23 are actuated by pivoted'elbows which are actuated turn bein shaft of t e engine, for instance. The stems 23 slide in the support 24 which'is preferably,

an integral portion of the cylinder head 84. The operation of the valvesis, of course the sameas that shown ,in connection with Figs.

- 4 shows a construction in which the valves are placedadjacent the cylinder and" not in the head as in the modifications according to Figs. 1-3. The passage 41" communicates with the inner chamber ofthe cylind'er and isclosed by atop member -42 suitablybolted to the engine block by means of bolts 35., A central opening 43 in the'top' member can be screwthreaded to accommodate a spark plug, The valves'l l are provided; in the cylinderblock 45, which block is supplied with valve seats 46 for the valves-.-

ThestemsSS) ofthe valves projectdownwardly and on the intermediate portion of the stem a-collar 28 is secured whichhas external screwthreads .47 arranged in the periphery thereof; This collar is adaptedto be rotated bymeans of the screwthreads 30 on the shaft 31 which mesh with the threads 47. The shaft 31 rotates in suitable bearings 48 in the engine block and is in turn rotated from the crankshaft-of the engine; In both oftheendiaces-of the-collar, as clearly shown in Fig. 5'-,va-number of projections or cam portions49gare provided Whichmay comprise any suitable number-u For purpose-of-illustra'tion,- three-sucli cams at each end have been shown, these cams cooperating with corresponding cam portions-50on the stationary collars.- Theupp'ercollar 27 is suitably see curedin the block 45 so asto be non-rotatable and the lower collar 29 is also non-rotatably h'eldinplace by means ofthe retaining member 51' WlllClliS suitably boltedto the engine block. The central portion ofthe collars is providedswitha bore 5 l-in which a spring 33 isplaced inorder to-compensate for any wear and any clearance provided between the cam members. I I

Asisclearly evident from Fig. 4:, it may be seen: that byrotation of the-shaft 31, the screwthreads-30 will rotate the collar 28 which will result in-a rotary movement of theivalve as'well as an oscillating movement thereof due to thecam members 49 cooperatingswithithevcams'50 of the stationary collarsi27i and 29. -This;not only provides for alpositive opening and closing of the valve the left shows the valve in open position, the cams of collars 27 and 28 coinciding and the cams of 29 and 28 opposing each other.

I claim as my invention '1. A valve operating mechanism for internal combustion engines comprising a cam memberprovided around a stem of the-valve andhaving alower screwthreaded portion and. a pair of cam projections at the upper portion; ahead in which the valve actuates and having screwthreads cooperating with the serewthreaded portion of the cam memher; and a pair of cams one cooperating with one: cam projections to open the valve and the other cam cooperating with the other cam projection to/ close the valve, said screwthreadsiand'screwthre'aded port-ion providing;

for aa-otary motion: 0t the valve when actu-' ated axially-by:theicamst 2 l valve operatmgi mechanism for inand a pair of cam proj ectionsi ate-the: upperv portion; ahead in whichthe ("valve actuates and having screwthrea-ds cooperating with s5 ternal combustion engines comprising-i atcam; member provided around astem' of the'valve and havmg a: lower screwthreadedi portion:

the 1 screwthreaded portion of' the cam i mem her; a pair of camsone,cooperatingwith one cam projection to open the valve andi the other cam cooperating; with-the other cam projection to close the valve; and means for actuating the cams to axially actuateathe valve and: cause rotation thereof: due to the screwthreads 3; A-valve 0perating mechanism for in-" ternal combustion engines comprising a cam membergprovided around astem oi the valve and having upper cam -projections I and a lower screwthreaded portion; a: head :in' which said valve and-stem ismounted and having a screwthreaded portion cooperating with the screwtlireads-on the- -cam member and a stem for-each cam projection f slidabl mounted-on the head and adapted to 'p0's1 tivelyzopen and close the valve and: also 20-" tate said valve by means ofthesorewthreads.

bk valve operating mechanism fot' internal combustion engines comprising a cam member provided around a-stemofthe valve and having; upper cam projectionsand" a lower screwthieaded portion; a headin which said valve and s'temis -mounted" and having a screwthreaded portion cooperating with the screwthreads; onthe cam member a stem tor eaeh-- cam' projection *slidahly mounted on 'the head and adapted -to -p0sitively opelr and close the valveaa'nd also in tate'said valve by means ofthe'screwthreads; and an elbow for each stemrtokimpart-fthe sliding motion theretou I Y its 5. A valve operating meohani'smfor in tern'al combustion engines comprising a a cylinder "bloc-k having a screwthreaded'portion therein; a valve and stem=provided in tlie butalsoarotaryimotion thereot Fig. .4 at block-and -'l1avin-g-'a-rotary collar secured on the stem which is provided with screwthreads cooperating with the screwthreads in the lolock said collar having cam portions at each end thereof; a pair of stationary collars mounted in said block and around said stem one on each end of the rotary collar, said stationary collars having cam portions thereon corresponding to the cam portions on the rotary collar; and means for imparting a rotary motion to the rotary collar thereby rotating the valve and imparting an axial back and forth movement to the valve to positively open and close said valve.

6. A valve operating mechanism for internal combustion engines comprising a cylinder block having a screwthreaded portion therein; a valve and stem provided in the lolock and having a rotary collar secured on the stem which is provided with screwthreads cooperating with the screwthreads in the block, said collar having cam portions at each end thereof; a pair of stationary collars mounted in said block and around said stem one on each end of the rotary collar, said stationary collars having cam portions thereon corresponding to the cam portions on the rotary collar; and a screwthreaded shaft arranged in said block and cooperating with the screwthreads on the rotary collar to impart a rotary motion to the rotary collar thereby rotating the valve and imparting an axial back and forth movement to the valve to positively open and close said valve.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ROBERT L. GRAY. 

